BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
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MIDLOTHIAN – Two days after Thanksgiving, North Crowley and Coppell met up and the way the first half went, it was like the two teams were arguing siblings seeing each other again at the dinner table.
A lot of talking, pushing, shoving, shouting – whatever you want to call it, it was there all game – and even before kickoff – at Midlothian ISD Stadium during a heated 6A D1 regional semifinal.
But through all the chatter, North Crowley had a hot start and kept its distance during a 46-21 victory over the Cowboys – clinching a spot in the regional final for the third straight season.
The Panthers are defending 6A D1 champs after winning their second title in program history last December. Prior to 2023, North Crowley reached the regional final one other time since starting in 1998 – when they won title #1 in 2003.
North Crowley (12-1) will play Allen (13-0), which steamrolled Odessa Permian on Friday, in the Region 1 championship. The winner will move on to the state semifinals.
Coppell ends at 10-2.
Coppell took the opening possession and the North Crowley D forced a three and out – to head coach Ray Gates’ delight. On all three stops, Gates showed a lot of emotion on his sideline.
North Crowley got inside Coppell territory and then threw a wide receiver screen to Pryce Demerson. Demerson made a nice move on a defender and picked up a chunk of yards to get into the red zone, but the Coppell D forced a fumble on the play.
Anthony Lewis was able to strip the ball from Demerson and Tyree Roberson recovered inside the 5. But the field position would hurt the Cowboys, who nearly gave up a safety on first down.
However, they were forced to punt in the end zone and surrendered a safety when North Crowley’s Julius Washington blocked the kick. The ball was nearly recovered in the field of play, but the officials ruled it out of bounds.
After getting possession, North Crowley added to the lead.
Running back G’yrell Smith picked up a TD run to extend the lead to 9-0 with five minutes left in the first quarter. The Panthers did force another fumble on the next Coppell drive. The Cowboys recovered, but had to punt on fourth and 23.
Smith had two great runs on the drive – the latter being his second TD of the game that gave NC a 16-0 margin at the end of the first period. QB Hayes Cloutier led the rushing attack on their next drive and then hit Lorenso Cruz on a wide receiver screen. Cruz burst through the Coppell D to score a 33-yard touchdown – giving the Panthers a 23-0 cushion with 9:44 to go in the second quarter.
The Cowboys had their best drive of the first half and capped it off with a TD run from QB Carter Zingelmann to pull within 23-7.
Jurwone Irvin would recover a Coppell fumble for North Crowley, but the Panthers gave up a pick-six shortly after – a 31-yard TD return from Roberson, adding to his fumble recovery in the first quarter.
Roberson’s TD pulled Coppell within 23-14 midway through the frame. Coppell’s D forced a turnover on downs, but the offense mustered up a few yards and had to punt.
Kiante Ingram scored with eight seconds left on the clock to push North Crowley to a 30-14 lead at the intermission.
The Panthers took the second half kickoff at the 25 and quickly moved past the Coppell 40. Cloutier gashed the Coppell D for a 27-yard run to the 8. The Cowboys, however, made a stop on fourth and goal just short of the goal line to get the ball back.
But a swarm of Panthers got to Zingelmann in the end zone for another North Crowley safety and 32-0 lead. Then the Panthers tacked on more with a touchdown by Smith, his third, to go up 39-14 with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
A pair of touchdowns later were waved back.
Braylen Cunningham returned a Coppell punt for a 65-yard TD, but it came back on a North Crowley holding penalty. Coppell managed to get two fumbles recovered in the third quarter – from Tyrell Roberson and Aaron Isbell. Isbell ran one fumble back 38 yards for a Coppell TD, but that was called back with a holding on the Cowboys.
Coppell did start that drive at the NC 39, but couldn’t convert a fourth down attempt.
Jeremiah Robertson added an 11-yard TD for North Crowley in the fourth quarter.
North Crowley out-gained Coppell by nearly 500 yards. Cloutier threw for 229 and added 92 on the ground. Smith rushed for 50 yards on 18 carries and Ingram led all runners with 140 yards on 24 attempts.
The Panthers are a stellar 54-3 in Gates’ first four years.
